By Odeisel

If there was ever something that annoys me about portable music, it’s cheap ass headphones. I know sometimes you get caught out there and you have to buy some on the run occasionally, but cheap headphones can totally ruin music for a two big reasons.

You’re probably playing some “music” nobody else likes but thanks to your poorly made headphones, everyone can hear every single word of your crappy music , even on the loud subway, even though you’re at least 10 feet away from others. Second, you’re already listening to an mp3 and the quality of your music needs all the help it can get to stretch itself into the realm of CD quality sound. (Tough luck trying to get that big echo record sound. We’re out on that). A good pair of headphones can bring out the lows and treble highs without sounding like noise.

You may prefer ear buds with noise reduction or ear muff style over the head phones that block out sound. If you’re at the gym, those may not be the most conducive to getting your workout on (and not breaking your headphones). This column is about introducing you to the latest in headphones of all varieties and brands. Today’s entry: Wicked Audio’s Reverb headphones.

Upon inspection, they aren’t initially impressive. The over the ear headphones are constructed with plastic and are not heavy at all; almost toyish. The “edgy” designs don’t help much. The price point is only $29.99 though, so we’re not talking studio monitors. The come with an adapter for the larger plug and the four foot cord comes with a two foot extension that easily translates from home system usage to walking the streets with big ass headphone usage.

One advantage of the construction is that the headphones are very light weight despite their size and you can keep them on your head while at your computer or system for hours and not have any neck discomfort. The cord is long but sturdy so if you’re in a chair with wheels at a desk swiveling and moving you won’t get tangled up easily.

As for the sound, the unit took getting used to. The Reverbs handle lows very well there’s an album tactile feel to the bass on these earphones. The higher end however is not as sharp, particularly when I was transcribing and listening to just talking voices. I listened to Black Rose, The Gumshoe remix by Has-lo. There is a devilishly low bassline that is brought to life by the Reverbs and some strings and low end piano keys that sound gorgeous. It didn’t have issue with the strings or the snares or any mids. There are high chimes that aren’t as powerful as the lows but overall the music engulfs you.

Wicked’s Reverbs are a solid sound for the price point, particularly if you love jarring bass. If you mainly listen to soft music, they probably won’t enhance your  listening experience. They are light and relatively effective and the phones smother your ear without drowning out the world around you.

• Frequency Response: 20 Hz-20kHz
• Impedence 32Ω
• Driver 40mm
• Extension Cord – 6ft.
• Cord Length – 4ft./1.22m
• 3.5mm stereo plug

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